Abstract Quote by Richard Diebenkorn
“All paintings start out of a mood, out of a relationship with things or people, out of a complete visual impression. To call this expression abstract seems to me often to confuse the issue. Abstract means literally to draw from or separate. In this sense every artist is abstract . . . a realistic or non-objective approach makes no difference. The result is what counts.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Art Talk with Richard Diebenkorn, 1975
Art originates from mood and relationships; abstraction is simply a method, not a separate style—what matters is the final visual impact.
In simple terms: Art’s result matters more than its label.
Key Takeaway
Focus on the visual outcome over categorization.
Themes
art
creativity
perception
Mood
analytical
inspirational
Type
artistic
educational
When to use this quote
- gallery curation
- art education
- creative workshops
Key Concepts
abstraction
visual impression
artist intent
Questions to Reflect On
- How does mood influence your creative process?
- When does label matter in interpreting art?
A Different Perspective
Risk of ignoring conceptual depth.
![“The word 'abstract' comes from the light tower of the philosophers. One of their spotlights that they have particularly focused on 'Art'. [Abstraction was] not so much what you could paint but rather what you could not paint. You could not paint a house or a tree or a mountain. It was then that…” quote by Willem de Kooning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/df9/willem-de-kooning-12563_abstract_the-word-abstract-comes-from-the-light-t_1161081.jpg)
